Don’t underestimate the power of the common man. That was the message from a renowned Bengali television actress as she participated in a massive procession of cine personalities and other celebrities, demanding justice for the RG Kar Medical College doctor who was raped and murdered on duty more than three weeks ago.

Indeed, the City of Joy once again transformed into the City of Rallies — a title Kolkata earned in the 1970s. The long marches, now not only growing in length but also in breadth, saw the apolitical “demand for justice” spreading like wildfire, drawing in people from all walks of life, from celebrities to students, veterans to shopkeepers.

This movement continued even as reports of more rapes and molestations surfaced from various parts of the State, including hospitals. Over five thousand cine personalities, accompanied by women and men from all walks of life, braved the hot and sultry weather to march more than three kilometres from College Square to Esplanade. They demanded justice “not only for Abhaya — the name by which the victim doctor is now known — but for the entire society that has fallen victim to this broken system.

Expressing the “grit and determination” of the Swastika, a noted award winning Bengali actress said, “Those who are trying to shield the guilty and preserve the system that is rotting all the medical colleges and the educational institutions thought things would die down automatically after people lose interest with time have just started realising that this time the public is not going to give up… because this is not a political movement… this is the movement of the people who have descended on street… enough is enough… we want justice not only for the victim but for the whole society… the whole women folk.”

Director and actress Aparna Sen, who had hit the street regularly during the Singur and Nandigram movements too participated in the march. “How long the woman will continue to be treated as a commodity… why always the powers that be try to brush the crime against women under the carpet all the time… this cannot go on… we need not only justice but also an answer,” she said.

Ten kilometres from South a rally of three thousand alumni of Ramakrishna Mission group of schools marched carrying the portraits of Ramakrishna Paramahansa Mother Sharada Devi and Swami Vivekanada demanding justice from Gol Park to Nandan Cine complex.

Similar rallies were taken out by the former students of 10 South Kolkata schools from Minto Park to Hazra Crossing. Jadavpur University area too witnesses long rallies and street corner theaters with thousands of people thronging around.

“A time has come when you have to explain your conduct … the civil society demands explanation for every work of yours … you have let loose the goons control the education campuses who are running syndicate raj everywhere … and whenever there is a protest you simply eliminate them … this cannot continue for eternity,” said Mrinal Biswas a doctor who took part in a rally of joint forum of doctors. He would however not dwell much on who he referred to as “you.”

A nine-year-old girl was molested by a neighbour at Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas leading to the locals attacking the house of a local panchayat member. The police had to resort to a lath-charge and burst tear gas shell to disperse the crowd. The incident took place on Saturday night. One person had been arrested, police said.

Another incident took place at Howrah General Hospital where a hospital staff was reportedly hauled up for molesting a minor patient who had come for treatment. “My daughter was bitten on her lips and was molested by this man … when she started crying loudly we rushed to that room and caught hold of him,” said the mother.

Hospital Superintendant said, “we have issued a showcause notice to the accused person and would take appropriate action.”

Similar incident took place at Ilambazar in Birbhum district where a relative of a patient molested an on-duty nurse leading to the doctors and paramedical staff going for a temporary cease work. “He was molesting me while I was taking care of the patient … when I raised hue and cry he started to threaten me … the police later told that he has been arrested,” the nurse said.